A bank heist, Dhoom-style

Four armed robbers fled with Rs 31 lakh from Model Cooperative Bank Limited on Orlem Tank Road at Malad such that even the closed-circuit televisions cameras did not catch a close shot of any of them.

It was a well-planned bank heist, which seemed to be inspired from Hindi masala films.

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Four armed robbers fled with Rs 31 lakh from Model Cooperative Bank Limited on Orlem Tank Road at Malad such that even the closed-circuit televisions cameras did not catch a close shot of any of them.

On Monday, just as the second shift was starting work at 4.30 pm, four unidentified men brandishing revolvers and faces covered with handkerchiefs barged inside.

Before anyone could react, they grabbed the cellphones of all employees and the seven customers who were present at the bank. The robbers then cut off the landline telephone wires and pushed everyone, except the cashier and the bank manager, into a room.

The security guard, who was unarmed, was also locked inside the room.

“The men took Rs 2 lakh from the cash counter and then holding the bank manager and cashier at gunpoint instructed them to unlock the safe. They filled the money from the safe into a yellow plastic bag,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Goregaon division) Ramchandra Ahire.

The robbers then left all the confiscated cellphones on the counter and took the bank manager as hostage till the entrance. They then pushed away the manager, pulled downed the bank’s shutters and fled on motorcycles.

“A bank employee saw the four men leaving on their motorcycles from the window. The manager and cashier then unlocked the door where the others were kept confined and informed the police,” said an official of the Malad police station.

The police suspect that the four men were aware with the premises and knew where the CCTVs were placed as they avoided looking directly at the cameras.

The police are recording the statements of the bank employees and customers.